Electric compressor

ABSTRACT

An electric compressor includes a compression portion, an electric motor, a drive circuit, a housing having a cylindrical shape and accommodating the compression portion and the electric motor, a cover attached to the housing and cooperating with the housing to accommodate the drive circuit, and a protector. The protector is configured to protect the cover from an external force. The protector includes a fixing portion that is fixed to the housing and a protection portion that is formed in a plate-like shape. The protection portion is disposed to face and to be spaced from the cover. The protector extends in a diametrical direction of the housing. A plurality of recesses is formed in the protection portion toward the cover such that the protection portion projects toward the cover. The recesses extend in an extending direction of the protector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electric compressor.

An electric compressor generally has a housing accommodating acompression portion configured to compress refrigerant and an electricmotor configured to drive the compression portion. The electriccompressor further has a cover attached to the housing. The covercooperates with the housing to accommodate a drive circuit configured todrive the electric motor.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-166547discloses an electric compressor having a protector that is configuredto protect the cover from an external force caused by a collision. Theprotector includes a fixing portion fixed to the housing and aprotection portion formed in a plate-like shape and disposed in aposition that is spaced from the cover. This configuration eliminates orminimizes a contact between the protection portion and the cover whichmay occur in the event that the protection portion is deformed towardthe cover under an external force possibly caused by a collision, sothat the cover is unlikely to be subjected to the action of the externalforce.

For example, the rigidity of the protection portion may be increased bythe formation of a projection on the outer surface of the protectionportion. In this configuration, however, the protection portion may belocally subjected to an external force caused by a collision at theprojection formed on the outer surface of the protection portion,thereby being likely to cause a local deformation of the protectionportion.

The present invention, which has been made in light of theabove-described problem, is directed to providing an electric compressorhaving a protection portion that is unlikely to be deformed under anexternal force possibly caused by a collision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an electric compressor that includes a compression portion, anelectric motor, a drive circuit, a housing having a cylindrical shapeand accommodating the compression portion and the electric motor, acover attached to the housing and cooperating with the housing toaccommodate the drive circuit, and a protector. The protector isconfigured to protect the cover from an external force. The protectorincludes a fixing portion that is fixed to the housing and a protectionportion that is formed in a plate-like shape. The protection portion isdisposed to face and to be spaced from the cover. The protector extendsin a diametrical direction of the housing. A plurality of recesses isformed in the protection portion toward the cover such that theprotection portion projects toward the cover. The recesses extend in anextending direction of the protector.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention together with objects and advantages thereof, may best beunderstood by reference to the following description of the embodimenttogether with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric compressor according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the electric compressor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the electric compressor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a protector of the electric compressorof FIG. 1, as viewed from the inner surface of the protector;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the protector of the electric compressorof FIG. 1, as viewed from the outer surface of the protector; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the protector and a cover ofthe electric compressor of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with referenceto the accompanying FIGS. 1 to 6. An electric compressor is disposed inan engine compartment of a vehicle and used for a vehicle airconditioner.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an electric compressor designated by10. The electric compressor 10 includes a housing 11 having acylindrical shape. The housing 11 includes a discharge housing 12 and asuction housing 13 connected to the discharge housing 12. The dischargehousing 12 and the suction housing 13 each have a bottomed-cylindricalshape and are made of a metal such as aluminum.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electric compressor 10 further includes a rotaryshaft 10 a, a compression portion 14 configured to compress refrigerant,an electric motor 15 configured to drive the compression portion 14, anda drive circuit 16 configured to drive the electric motor 15. Thecompression portion 14 and the electric motor 15 are accommodated in thesuction housing 13. The axial direction of the suction housing 13 of thehousing 11 corresponds to the axial direction of the rotary shaft 10 a.The compression portion 14 is disposed between the electric motor 15 andthe discharge housing 12 in the axial direction of the suction housing13. Although not illustrated, the compression portion 14 in thisembodiment includes a fixed scroll fixed to the suction housing 13, amovable scroll facing the fixed scroll, and a compression chamberdefined by the fixed and the movable scrolls.

The suction housing 13 has a suction port (not shown) to allow entry ofrefrigerant. Refrigerant flowing into the suction housing 13 through thesuction port is introduced into the compression chamber with the orbitalmotion (suction motion) of the movable scroll. Refrigerant is compressedin the compression chamber and discharged to the discharge housing 12with the orbital motion (discharge motion) of the movable scroll.Refrigerant flows out of the discharge housing 12 to a refrigerantcircuit (not shown) outside of the electric compressor through adischarge port (not shown) in the discharge housing 12, and returns tothe suction housing 13 through the suction port.

The suction housing 13 includes a bottom wall 13 a and a peripheral wall13 b. The peripheral wall 13 b has a cylindrical shape and extends fromthe peripheral portion of the bottom wall 13 a to the discharge housing12 in the axial direction of the suction housing 13. The bottom wall 13a and the compression portion 14 interpose therebetween the electricmotor 15 in the axial direction of the suction housing 13. The suctionhousing 13 further includes an extended wall 13 c having a cylindricalshape. The extended wall 13 c extends from the bottom wall 13 a in theaxial direction of the suction housing 13 toward the side opposite tothe discharge housing 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the suction housing 13 has a cover 17 attached tothe extended wall 13 c. The cover 17 is made of resin material and has acylindrical shape with a bottom. In this embodiment, the cover 17 isfitted in the inside of an opening portion 13 d of the extended wall 13c to be attached to the suction housing 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom wall 13 a and the extended wall 13 c ofthe suction housing 13 and the cover 17 cooperate to define a space inwhich the drive circuit 16 is accommodated. In this embodiment, thecompression portion 14, the electric motor 15, and the drive circuit 16are arranged in this order in the axial direction of the housing 11.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electric compressor 10 has a protector 20configured to protect the cover 17 from an external force possiblycaused by a collision. The protector 20 is made of iron and fixed to thesuction housing 13. The protector 20 extends in a diametrical directionof the housing 11.

The protector 20 includes a protection portion 21, a first peripheralwall portion 22, a second peripheral wall portion 23, a first fixingportion 24, and a second fixing portion 25. That is, the protector 20includes two fixing portions, i.e, the first and the second fixingportions 24, 25.

The protection portion 21 is formed in a plate-like shape and disposedto face an outer surface 17 a of the cover 17. The first and the secondperipheral wall portions 22, 23 each extend from a part of the outeredge of the protection portion 21 in the axial direction of the housing11 to be disposed around the extended wall 13 c of the suction housing13. The first and the second fixing portions 24, 25 are flat flanges.The first fixing portion 24 extends in a radial direction of the housing11 outward from a side edge of the first peripheral wall portion 22 thatis remote from the protection portion 21. The second fixing portion 25extends in a radial direction of the housing 11 outward from a side edgeof the second peripheral wall portion 23 that is remote from theprotection portion 21.

The protection portion 21 has opposite surfaces, which are an innersurface 21 a and an outer surface 21 b, respectively. The inner surface21 a faces the outer surface 17 a of the cover 17.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first and the second fixing portions 24, 25 aredisposed so as to interpose therebetween the protection portion 21 inthe planar direction of the outer surface 21 b, as viewed from the outersurface 21 b.

The outer edge of the protection portion 21 includes first and secondarched outer edges 211, 212 each having an outwardly-arched shape andrespectively located at positions corresponding to the first and thesecond peripheral wall portions 22, 23. The first and the secondperipheral wall portions 22, 23 have outer peripheral surfaces 22 a, 23a that are curved along the first and the second arched outer edges 211,212, respectively. The outer peripheral surfaces 22 a, 23 a are locatedon the imaginary circle C1.

The first and the second fixing portions 24, 25 have proximal edges 24a, 25 a that are boundaries with the first and the second peripheralwall portions 22, 23, respectively. The proximal edges 24 a, 25 a arethe same in length in the circumferential direction of the imaginarycircle C1.

The first and the second fixing portions 24, 25 have outer edges 24 b,25 b, respectively. The outer edges 24 b, 25 b are curved along theouter peripheral surface 22 a of the first peripheral wall portion 22and the outer peripheral surface 23 a of the second peripheral wallportion 23, respectively. The first and the second fixing portions 24,25 have tabs 24 c, 25 c that project outward from a part of the outeredge 24 b and a part of the outer edge 25 b, respectively. The tabs 24c, 25 c are respectively disposed at positions that are spacedapproximately 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferentialdirection of the imaginary circle C1.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first and the second fixing portions 24,25 have therethrough screw holes 24 h, 25 h, respectively. The screwhole 24 h passes through a part of the first fixing portion 24, whichincludes the tab 24 c and its adjacent area, in the thickness directionof the first fixing portion 24. The screw hole 25 h passes through apart of the second fixing portion 25, which includes the tab 25 c andits adjacent area, in the thickness direction of the second fixingportion 25.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the suction housing 13 includes first andsecond bosses 13 e, 13 f protruding from the outer peripheral surface ofthe extended wall 13 c. The first and the second bosses 13 e, 13 f arerespectively disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the extendedwall 13 c at positions that are spaced approximately 180 degrees apartfrom each other in the circumferential direction of the suction housing13. The first and the second bosses 13 e, 13 f have flat surfaces on theside opposite to the discharge housing 12 in the axial direction of thesuction housing 13, respectively.

The surface of the first fixing portion 24 including the tab 24 c andits adjacent area, which is opposite to the protection portion 21,contacts the surface of the first boss 13 e. The surface of the secondfixing portion 25 including the tab 25 c and its adjacent area, which isopposite to the protection portion 21, contacts the surface of thesecond boss 13 f. The first fixing portion 24 is fixed to the first boss13 e with a screw B1 to be screwed into the first boss 13 e through thescrew hole 24 h of the first fixing portion 24. The second fixingportion 25 is fixed to the second boss 13 f with a screw B2 to bescrewed into the second boss 13 f through the screw hole 25 h of thesecond fixing portion 25. Accordingly, the protector 20 is fixed to thesuction housing 13.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer edge of the protection portion 21 includesa connection outer edge 213 connecting one end of the first arched outeredge 211 and one end of the second arched outer edge 212 on theimaginary circle C1. As viewed from the outer surface 21 b, theconnection outer edge 213 extends linearly in the direction X1, whichjoins the facing first and the second fixing portions 24, 25 and isapproximately parallel to the diameter of the imaginary circle C1.

The first arched outer edge 211 is longer than the proximal edge 24 a ofthe first fixing portion 24 in the circumferential direction of theimaginary circle C1. The first arched outer edge 211 extends from theconnection point with the connection outer edge 213 in a clockwisedirection on the imaginary circle C1 farther than the proximal edge 24 aof the first fixing portion 24 as viewed from the outer surface 21 b.The first peripheral wall portion 22 includes an extended wall portion22 b extending in a clockwise direction on the imaginary circle C1beyond an end of the proximal edge 24 a that is remote from theconnection outer edge 213 as viewed from the outer surface 21 b.

The outer edge of the protection portion 21 further includes a firstextended outer edge 214, a second extended outer edge 215, and a roundedouter edge 216. The first extended outer edge 214 is parallel to theconnection outer edge 213 and extends from the other end of the secondarched outer edge 212 that is remote from the connection outer edge 213and is on the imaginary circle C1. The second extended outer edge 215 isperpendicular to the first extended outer edge 214 and extends towardthe connection outer edge 213 from the other end of the first archedouter edge 211 that is remote from the connection outer edge 213. Therounded outer edge 216 connects one end of the first extended outer edge214 that is remote from the second arched outer edge 212 and one end ofthe second extended outer edge 215 that is remote from the first archedouter edge 211. Accordingly, the protector 20 has a cutout defined bythe first extended outer edge 214, the second extended outer edge 215,and the rounded outer edge 216 between the extended wall portion 22 b ofthe first peripheral wall portion 22 and the second peripheral wallportion 23 in the circumferential direction of the imaginary circle C1.

The cover 17 has square tube-shaped first and second connector couplers171, 172 protruding outward from the outer surface 17 a of the cover 17.The first connector coupler 171 is used for power supply to the drivecircuit 16 from a battery (now shown) in a vehicle. The second connectorcoupler 172 is used for control signal transmission from an ECU (notshown) to the drive circuit 16.

As viewed from the outer surface 17 a, of the cover 17 in FIG. 1, thefirst connector coupler 171 is arranged on the peripheral region of theouter surface 17 a at a position that is spaced approximately 90 degreesapart from each of the first and the second bosses 13 e, 13 f in thecircumferential direction of the suction housing 13. As viewed from theouter surface 17 a, of the cover 17, the second connector coupler 172 isarranged on the peripheral region of the outer surface 17 a at aposition that is spaced approximately 90 degrees apart from the firstconnector coupler 171 in the circumferential direction of the suctionhousing 13 and near the first boss 13 e.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first connector coupler 171 is disposed outwardof the connection outer edge 213 of the protection portion 21. In otherwords, the protector 20 is shaped so that the connection outer edge 213of the protection portion 21 is positioned between the second connectorcoupler 172 and the first connector coupler 171 to prevent theinterference between the connection outer edge 213 and the firstconnector coupler 171 at the attachment of the protector 20 to thesuction housing 13. Accordingly, the connection outer edge 213 serves asthe relief portion of the present invention that is operable to preventthe interference between the first connector coupler 171 and theprotection portion 21 at the attachment of the protector 20 to thesuction housing 13.

The protection portion 21 has therethrough an elongate through hole 21 hthrough which the second connector coupler 172 passes. The through hole21 h is formed through the protection portion 21 such that thelongitudinal direction of the through hole 21 h corresponds to thedirection X1. The through hole 21 h serves as the relief portion of thepresent invention that is operable to prevent the interference betweenthe second connector coupler 172 and the protection portion 21 at theattachment of the protector 20 to the suction housing 13.

As shown in FIG. 4, the protection portion 21 includes first to fourthprojections 31 to 34 projecting from the inner surface 21 a. The firstprojection 31 is located between the connection outer edge 213 and thethrough hole 21 h and extends linearly in the direction X1. The secondprojection 32 is located between the first extended outer edge 214 andthe through hole 21 h and extends linearly in the direction X1. Thefirst and the second projections 31, 32 are parallel to each other andare approximately the same in length in the direction X1.

The third projection 33 is located between the through hole 21 h and thesecond peripheral wall portion 23 in the direction X1 and extendslinearly in the direction X1. The third projection 33 is shorter thanthe first and the second projections 31, 32 in the direction X1. Thefourth projection 34 is located between the extended wall portion 22 band the second projection 32. The fourth projection 34 is shorter thanthe third projection 33 in the direction X1.

The first to the fourth projections 31 to 34 each project in an arc fromthe inner surface 21 a of the protection portion 21, thus, the outersurfaces of the first to the fourth projections 31 to 34 are curved. Theinner surface 21 a of the protection portion 21 is formed as a whole tobe flat except for the first to the fourth projections 31 to 34. In thisembodiment, the inner surface 21 a of the protection portion 21 is as awhole in the same plane except for the first to the fourth projections31 to 34.

The first to the fourth projections 31 to 34 are projected from theinner surface 21 a by the formation of recesses in the outer surface 21b of the protection portion 21. As shown in FIG. 5, first to fourthrecesses 41 to 44 are formed in the outer surface 21 b of the protectionportion 21.

The first to the fourth recesses 41 to 44 are formed in the outersurface 21 b of the protection portion 21 at positions corresponding tothe positions of the first to the fourth projections 31 to 34 on theinner surface 21 a in the thickness direction of the protection portion21, respectively.

The outer surface 21 b of the protection portion 21 is formed as a wholeto be flat except for the first to the fourth recesses 41 to 44. In thisembodiment, the outer surface 21 b is as a whole in the same planeexcept for the first to the fourth recesses 41 to 44.

As shown in FIG. 2, the suction housing 13 has a receiving portion 26protruding from the outer peripheral surface thereof. Specifically, thereceiving portion 26 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of theperipheral wall 13 b of the suction housing 13 and is located near theextended wall 13 c. The receiving portion 26 has a receiving surface 26a that is a flat surface and extends in a direction perpendicular to theaxial direction of the suction housing 13. The receiving surface 26 apartly faces the extended wall portion 22 b of the protector 20 in theaxial direction of the suction housing 13.

The extended wall portion 22 b includes an abutment portion 22 f havinga plate-like shape and protruding in the axial direction of the suctionhousing 13 toward the receiving surface 26 a from a part of the extendedwall portion 22 b that faces the receiving surface 26 a in the axialdirection of the suction housing 13. The abutment portion 22 f isconfigured to abut on the receiving surface 26 a of the receivingportion 26 in the event that the protection portion 21 is subjected toan external force possibly caused by a collision. That is, the protector20 in this embodiment includes the abutment portion 22 f that isconfigured to abut on the receiving portion 26 in the event that theprotection portion 21 is subjected to an external force possibly causedby a collision.

As shown in FIG. 6, the protection portion 21 is disposed in a positionthat is spaced from the outer surface 17 a of the cover 17. Although thefourth recess 44 is not shown in FIG. 6, the first to the fourthrecesses 41 to 44, which are formed in the protection portion 21 towardthe cover 17 such that the protection portion 21 projects toward thecover 17, extend in the extending direction of the protector 20. Theinner surface 21 a of the protection portion 21 is spaced from the outersurface 17 a of the cover 17 such that clearances are formed between thefirst to the fourth projections 31 to 34 on the inner surface 21 a andthe outer surface 17 a of the cover 17.

The following describes operation of the embodiment of the presentinvention.

For example, in the event that a vehicle equipped with the electriccompressor 10 is hit in a vehicle collision at a vehicle component E1(FIG. 6) such as a vehicle frame for an engine compartment, the vehiclecomponent E1 may be deformed and bump into the outer surface 21 b of theprotection portion 21. In this case, if the protection portion 21 isprovided with a projection on the outer surface 21 b, the protectionportion 21 is more likely to be locally subjected to an external forcecaused by the hit of the deformed vehicle component E1 at theprojections on the outer surface 21 b, thus being likely to becomedeformed locally. In the embodiment of the present invention, theprotection portion 21 is formed as a whole to be flat except for thefirst to the fourth recesses 41 to 44, so that the protection portion 21receives an external force caused by the hit of the deformed vehiclecomponent E1 at the flat outer surface 21 b. This configuration is notlocally subjected to an external force at projections on the outersurface 21 b of the protection portion 21, thereby eliminating orminimizing a possible local deformation of the protection portion 21under an external force caused by a collision.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the protection portion 21has the first to the fourth recesses 41 to 44 that are formed in theouter surface 21 b toward the cover 17 such that the protection portion21 projects toward the cover 17. This configuration increases therigidity of the protection portion 21, therefore, the protection portion21 is unlikely to be deformed under an external force possibly caused bya collision in comparison with the case that the protection portion 21is provided without the first to the fourth recesses 41 to 44 in theouter surface 21 b.

In this embodiment, the first to the fourth projections 31 to 34 extendin the direction X1. This configuration eliminates or minimizes warpingof the protection portion 21 in the direction X1 that may occur in theevent that the protection portion 21 is subjected to an external forcecaused by a collision.

In this embodiment, the abutment portion 22 f of the protector 20 isconfigured to abut on the receiving surface 26 a of the receivingportion 26 in the event that the protection portion 21 is subjected toan external force caused by a collision. This configuration enables theexternal force acting on the protection portion 21 to be transferred tothe receiving portion 26 through the abutment portion 22 f, therebyeliminating or minimizing a possible deformation of the protectionportion 21 under an external force caused by a collision.

The inner surface 21 a of the protection portion 21 is spaced from theouter surface 17 a of the cover 17 such that a clearance is formedbetween the first to the fourth projections 31 to 34 on the innersurface 21 a and the outer surface 17 a of the cover 17. Thisconfiguration eliminates or minimizes a contact between the cover 17 andthe protection portion 21 even if the protection portion 21 becomesslightly deformed under an external force caused by a collision, therebypreventing an external force from acting on the cover 17 so as toprotect the drive circuit 16.

The embodiment of the present invention offers the following effects.

(1) The protection portion 21 has the first to the fourth recesses 41 to44 that are formed in the outer surface 21 b toward the cover 17 suchthat the protection portion 21 projects toward the cover 17. Thisconfiguration increases the rigidity of the protection portion 21 incomparison with the case that the protection portion 21 is providedwithout the first to the fourth recesses 41 to 44 in the outer surface21 b. Also, the protection portion 21 provided without a projection onthe outer surface 21 b will not be locally subjected to an externalforce by a collision at the projection on the outer surface 21 b,therefore, the protection portion 21 of this configuration is unlikelyto be deformed under an external force possibly caused by a collision incomparison with the case that the protection portion 21 is provided witha projection on the outer surface 21 b.

(2) The suction housing 13 has the receiving portion 26 protruding fromthe outer peripheral surface thereof. The protector 20 includes theabutment portion 22 f that is configured to abut on the receivingportion 26 in the event that the protection portion 21 is subjected toan external force possibly caused by a collision. This configurationenables the external force acting on the protection portion 21 to betransferred to the receiving portion 26 through the abutment portion 22f, thereby further eliminating or minimizing a possible deformation ofthe protection portion 21 under an external force caused by a collision.

(3) The protection portion 21 has the connection outer edge 213 and thethrough hole 21 h serving as the relief portions of the presentinvention that are configured to prevent the interference between thefirst connector coupler 171 and the protection portion 21 and theinterference between the second connector coupler 172 and the protectionportion 21, respectively. This configuration facilitates the attachmentof the protector 20 to the cover 17 such that the inner surface 21 a ofthe protection portion 21 faces the outer surface 17 a of the cover 17from which the first and the second connector couplers 171, 172protrude.

(4) The first to the fourth projections 31 to 34 of the protectionportion 21 extend in the direction X1. This configuration eliminates orminimizes possible warping of the protection portion 21 in the directionX1.

(5) The protector 20 has a cutout between the extended wall portion 22 bof the first peripheral wall portion 22 and the second peripheral wallportion 23 in the circumferential direction of the imaginary circle C1.This configuration enables the protector 20 to be reduced in size,volume, and weight in comparison with the case that the extended wallportion 22 b of the first peripheral wall portion 22 and the secondperipheral wall portion 23 are directly connected and the protector 20is formed without a cutout.

(6) The protection portion 21 includes the fourth projection 34 that islocated between the extended wall portion 22 b and the second projection32. This configuration increases the rigidity of the vicinity of theextended wall portion 22 b where the rigidity is likely to decreasebecause of the presence of the cutout between the extended wall portion22 b of the first peripheral wall portion 22 and the second peripheralwall portion 23 in the circumferential direction of the imaginary circleC1, thereby further eliminating or minimizing a possible deformation ofthe protection portion 21 under an external force caused by a collision.

The present invention may be modified in various manners, as exemplifiedbelow.

The protection portion 21 may have a recess in the outer surface 21 b atany other position than positions corresponding to the positions of thefirst to the fourth projections 31 to 34 on the inner surface 21 a inthe thickness direction of the protection portion 21.

The first to the fourth projections 31 to 34 of the protection portion21 may extend in a direction that is different from the direction X1.

The positions of the first and the second fixing portions 24, 25 are notlimited to the positions described in the embodiment of the presentinvention. The protector 20 may be provided with a single fixingportion, or three or more fixing portions that are fixed to the housing11.

The outer peripheral surface of the suction housing 13 may be providedwithout the receiving portion 26. The protector 20 may be providedwithout the abutment portion 22 f.

The first and the second connector couplers 171, 172 need notnecessarily protrude from the cover 17, for example, the first and thesecond connector couplers 171, 172 may protrude outward from the outerperipheral surface of the peripheral wall 13 b of the suction housing13. In this case, the protection portion 21 of the protector 20 need notprevent the interference between the connection outer edge 213 and thefirst connector coupler 171 at the attachment of the protector 20 to thesuction housing 13, so that the protection portion 21 of the protector20 need not necessarily be shaped such that the connection outer edge213 is positioned between the second connector coupler 172 and the firstconnector coupler 171. The protection portion 21 may be provided withoutthe through hole 21 h serving as the relief portion of the presentinvention that is operable to prevent the interference between thesecond connector coupler 172 and the protection portion 21 at theattachment of the protector 20 to the suction housing 13.

The shape of the protection portion 21 may be modified as necessary.

The protection portion 21 may be provided with two or three, or five ormore recesses that are formed in the protection portion 21 toward thecover 17 such that the protection portion 21 projects toward the cover17.

The compression portion 14, the electric motor 15, and the drive circuit16 need not necessarily be arranged in this order in the axial directionof the housing 11. For example, the cover 17 may be attached to theouter peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 13 b of the suctionhousing 13, and the drive circuit 16 may be accommodated in a spacedefined by the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 13 b andthe cover 17.

In this embodiment, the compression portion 14 includes the fixed andthe movable scrolls. However, the compression portion 14 may be of thepiston type or the vane type instead of the scroll type.

The electric compressor 10 may be used for any air conditioners otherthan vehicle air conditioners.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electric compressor comprising: a compressionportion configured to compress refrigerant; an electric motor configuredto drive the compression portion; a drive circuit configured to drivethe electric motor; a housing having a cylindrical shape andaccommodating the compression portion and the electric motor; a coverattached to the housing and cooperating with the housing to accommodatethe drive circuit; and a protector configured to protect the cover froman external force caused by a collision, the protector including afixing portion that is fixed to the housing and a protection portionthat is formed in a plate-like shape, the protection portion beingdisposed to face and to be spaced from the cover, wherein the protectorextends in a diametrical direction of the housing, a plurality ofrecesses are formed in the protection portion toward the cover such thatthe protection portion projects toward the cover, and the recessesextend in an extending direction of the protector.
 2. The electriccompressor according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a receivingportion protruding from an outer peripheral surface of the housing, andthe protector includes an abutment portion that is configured to abut onthe receiving portion in the event that the protection portion issubjected to an external force caused by a collision.
 3. The electriccompressor according to claim 1, wherein the housing or the cover has atube-shaped connector protruding outward from the housing or the cover,and the protection portion includes a relief portion that is operable toprevent the interference between the connector and the protectionportion.